Programmable antenna assembly and applications thereof
View Patent ↗A programmable antenna assembly includes a configurable antenna structure, a configurable antenna interface, and a control module. The configurable antenna structure includes a plurality of antenna elements that, in response to an antenna configuration signal, are configured elements into at least one antenna. The configurable antenna interface module is coupled to the at least one antenna and, based on an antenna interface control signal, provides at least one of an impedance matching circuit and a bandpass filter. The control module is coupled to generate the antenna configuration signal and the antenna interface control signal in accordance with a first frequency band and a second frequency band such that the at least one antenna facilitates at least one of transmitting and receiving a first RF signal within the first frequency band and facilitates at least one of transmitting and receiving a second RF signal within the second frequency band.
1. A programmable antenna assembly comprises:
a configurable antenna structure that includes a plurality of antenna elements, wherein:
in response to a first state of an antenna configuration signal, the configurable antenna structure configures into a first antenna operable at a first frequency; and
in response to a second state of the antenna configuration signal, the configurable antenna structure configures into a second antenna operable at a second frequency; and
a configurable antenna interface module coupled to the configurable antenna structure, wherein:
in response to a first state of an antenna interface control signal, the configurable antenna interface configures to provide at least one of a first impedance matching circuit and a first bandpass filter; and
in response to a second state of the antenna interface control signal, the configurable antenna interface configures to provide at least one of a second impedance matching circuit and a second bandpass filter.
2. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 1 comprises:
the configurable antenna structure configuring the plurality of antenna elements first and second multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas as the first and second antennas, respectively; and
the configurable antenna interface module configures to provide a first plurality of the at least one of the first impedance matching circuit and the first bandpass filter and configures to provide a second plurality of the at least one of the second impedance matching circuit and the second bandpass filter.
3. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 1 comprises:
the configurable antenna structure receives the first state of the antenna configuration signal or the second state of the antenna configuration signal such that the configurable antenna structure configures into the first antenna or the second antenna.
4. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 1 comprises:
the configurable antenna structure receives the first state of the antenna configuration signal and the second state of the antenna configuration signal such that the configurable antenna structure configures into the first antenna and the second antenna.
5. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 1 further comprises:
the configurable antenna structure configuring the plurality of antenna elements into the first antenna and the second antenna based on the first and second states of the antenna configuration signal, wherein the first antenna is substantially orthogonal to the second antenna, wherein the first and second antennas are dipole antennas, wherein the antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements that constitute a radiation portion of the second antenna are at an angle of approximately 180 degrees and wherein the antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements that constitute a radiation portion of the first antenna are at an angle of less than 180 degrees such that radiation strength of the first antenna is less than radiation strength of the second antenna.
6. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 1 further comprises:
the configurable antenna structure configuring the plurality of antenna elements into the first antenna and the second antenna based on the antenna configuration signal, wherein the first antenna is substantially orthogonal to the second antenna, wherein the first antenna is a one-half wavelength dipole antenna and the second antenna is a less than one-half wavelength dipole antenna.
7. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the configurable antenna structure comprises:
a plurality of microstrips, each microstrip of the plurality of microstrips has an inductance and a resistance, wherein the plurality of microstrips are proximately located to one another, and wherein at least a first microstrip of the plurality of microstrips is substantially parallel to another one of the plurality of microstrips, at least a second microstrip of the plurality of microstrips is substantially perpendicular to a second another one of the plurality of microstrips, or a third microstrip of the plurality of microstrips is at an angle to a third another one of the plurality of microstrips.
8. A programmable antenna assembly comprises:
a configurable antenna structure that includes a plurality of antenna elements, wherein, in response to an antenna configuration signal, the configurable antenna structure configures at least some of the plurality of antenna elements into at least one antenna; and
a configurable antenna interface module coupled to the at least one antenna, wherein, based on an antenna interface control signal, the configurable antenna interface configures into at least one of an impedance matching circuit and a bandpass filter.
9. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 8 , wherein the configurable antenna structure comprises:
a plurality of microstrips, each microstrip of the plurality of microstrips has an inductance and a resistance, wherein the plurality of microstrips are proximately located to one another.
10. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of microstrips comprises:
a first microstrip that is substantially parallel to another one of the plurality of microstrips; and
a second microstrip that is substantially perpendicular to a second another one of the plurality of microstrips.
11. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of microstrips comprises:
a third microstrip that is at an angle to a third another one of the plurality of microstrips.
12. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 8 , wherein the configurable antenna interface module comprises at least two of:
a first impedance matching circuit;
a first bandpass filter;
a second impedance matching circuit; and
a second bandpass filter.
13. The programmable antenna assembly of claim 8 , wherein the configurable antenna interface module comprises at least one of:
a plurality of adjustable inductors;
a plurality of adjustable capacitors; and
a plurality of adjustable resistors.